Taylor Made: WIU Linebacker earns MVFC's Top Defensive Honor

Brett Taylor is your 2017 Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year

The credentials were beyond reproach....

So it's no surprise that Brett Taylor, the homegrown Leatherneck himself, was named Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Most Valuable Player

The Macomb native tops the nation in tackles (150), tackles per game (13.6) and assisted stops (90), respectively. Taylor has also compiled 13.0 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, four breakups, two forced fumbles and one quarterback hurry.

Dating back to the 2016 campaign, Taylor has at least tied for the team lead in tackles in 15 of the last 16 games, including all but one this year

A finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the FCS' top defensive player, Taylor has made 457 tackles in his career, the third-most of any player in Western Illinois history.